The cookie settings on this website are set to 'allow all cookies' to give you the very best experience. Please click Accept Cookies to continue to use the site and also to accept the terms of our Privacy Policy.

Family Fitness Can Instill Healthy Habits

Aug 9th 2017

9 healthy activities you can do with your kids.

The problem of obesity is not one that just
affects adults. For a number of years, health experts have been warning about
this dangerous trend in children. According to the
American Heart Association, “Today,
about 1 in 3 kids and teens is overweight or obese… Childhood obesity is now the
No 1 health concern among parents in the United States, topping drug abuse and
smoking.” It’s a recipe for future cases of heart disease, type II diabetes,
and other serious health conditions. In fact, those conditions are
already being diagnosed in kids and
teens: “Obesity is causing a broad range of health problems that previously
weren’t seen until adulthood.”

The good news is that adopting better
eating habits and exercising can avoid these chronic conditions. It’s not always
easy to find the time to exercise, especially for a busy family. One solution
is to find ways to do things together.

Let’s face it — we
all spend too much time sitting around inside. This is especially
true of children and teens, who spend an average 3-7 hours a day in front of
some kinds of screen. So plan daily or weekly activities you can all do
together outside. Hiking, biking, playing catch, soccer or kickball, are all
great activities most of the year. In the summer you can add swimming or other
water sports. In the winter, you might go sledding or build a snowman.

2. Take a fitness class

Look into fitness clubs or community
centers that have classes for all ages. Many centers offer group activities and
individual training sessions that include workout tips, as well as nutrition
advice. Speak to a trainer about how to include your children, tweens, and
teens in these activities.

Now, we know it might be hard to sell
cleaning the house as “fun” to your kids, but there are ways to do it. Start by
making a competition out of it. Put sticky notes on whatever needs cleaning and
as the kids finish that task, they collect the notes. Whoever collects the most
notes wins a prize. You can even time your cleaning. It’ll get everyone moving
faster and shorten cleaning time overall.

An easy way to incorporate a daily
fitness activity is to go on an evening walk, even if it’s just around the
block, and you can inspire a lifetime habit. It’s something you can do with
kids of any age, from toddlers to teens. If your child isn’t walking yet or
can’t make it around the block, put him or her in a stroller.
You’re still walking and your toddler is
outside in the fresh air.

5. Have a dance party

Transform your living room into a
disco. Move the furniture and rugs aside and clear a dance floor. Turn off the
lights and add colorful flashlights or strobes. Then crank up the music,
choosing songs of the kids’ choosing. You can also introduce them to the songs
you danced to as a teenager.

6. Walk for charity

This one helps in two ways. Many charities
and organizations sponsor local fundraising walks throughout the year. Look
into the ones in your area and join in as a family. Not only will you take part
in fitness activity, but you are also teaching your children about the
importance of giving back and helping others in the community. It’s a win-win
for all concerned.

Set aside at least 30 minutes a day for
fitness. It can be as simple as taking the kids to the park,
bouncing on a trampoline,
or playing hide and seek indoors if it’s raining or too cold to go outside.

8. Make play dates active dates

If you’re planning a play date for the
kids in the neighborhood or classmates, make it something active. Play soccer,
basketball, freeze tag, or have a ball with a JumpSport®
Trampoline Game and Party Pak. For indoor activates, think about bowling, ice/roller
skating, or places that have indoor rock climbing walls or jungle gyms.

9. Yardwork can be fun and active, too

Depending on the season, there are many
ways to make yardwork fun. In the winter, there might be snow people, and fall
can mean raking leaves (and of course running and jumping into the pile). In
the spring and summer months, you can plant a garden, and even the littlest
kids can get in on the action by helping to dig the holes or plant the bulbs or
seeds. The older ones can fill and carry watering cans or drag the hose.

These
are just some of the ways you can make family fitness part of your weekly
routine. You can probably come up with even more. The important thing is to
start instilling healthy habits in your kids now to help ensure they grow into
healthy, active adults later.